A USB charger, a mobile terminal, and a charging method are provided. The USB charger for charging a mobile terminal, includes a first logic control unit through which bidirectional communication is established between the USB charger and the mobile terminal, wherein the first logic control unit is configured to: send, to the mobile terminal, a first signal which includes a maximum output capability of the USB charger; receive, from the mobile terminal, a second signal which indicates magnitude of a voltage requested by the mobile terminal; and adjust a voltage output from the USB charger to be consistent with the voltage requested by the mobile terminal. Accordingly, the USB charger and the mobile terminal can communicate with each other through a single signal wire. Thus, the voltage output from the USB charger can be intelligently controlled, so as to charge the mobile terminal in a fast, safe, and simply way.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A USB charger adapted to charge a mobile terminal, comprising a first logic control unit through which bidirectional communication is established between the USB charger and the mobile terminal, wherein the first logic control unit is configured to: send, to the mobile terminal, a first signal which comprises a maximum output capability of the USB charger; receive, from the mobile terminal, a second signal which indicates magnitude of a voltage requested by the mobile terminal; and adjust a voltage output from the USB charger to be consistent with the voltage requested by the mobile terminal, and the first logic control unit comprises a first comparator.
A USB charger for mobile devices uses a "smart" charging system. It has a logic control unit that enables two-way communication between the charger and the phone. The charger sends the phone a signal indicating the charger's maximum power output. The phone then sends a signal back, specifying the voltage it needs. The charger adjusts its voltage output to match the phone's request using a comparator in the logic control unit. This allows for optimized and potentially faster charging.
2. The USB charger according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage requested by the mobile terminal is determined based on the maximum output capability of the USB charger and a maximum load capability of the mobile terminal.
The USB charger from the previous description features a voltage negotiation process, where the phone's requested voltage is not arbitrary. Instead, the voltage requested by the phone is calculated based on both the charger's advertised maximum power output and the phone's own maximum power draw capabilities. This ensures that the phone requests a voltage that the charger can provide, and that the phone itself can handle, preventing damage and optimizing charging speed.
3. The USB charger according to claim 1 , wherein the bidirectional communication is established through one signal wire of an interface of the USB charger.
The USB charger from the initial smart charging system design uses a single wire within the USB interface for the two-way communication between the charger and the phone. Instead of requiring multiple dedicated communication lines, it re-purposes one of the existing wires in the USB connection to transmit the charger's power capabilities and the phone's voltage request. This simplifies the charger's design and maintains compatibility with standard USB cables.
4. The USB charger according to claim 3 , wherein the signal wire comprises a data signal wire D+, a data signal wire D−, or an ID signal wire.
The USB charger from the single-wire communication description uses a specific wire within the USB interface for the two-way communication. This wire can be either the D+ data line, the D- data line, or the ID pin of the USB connector. The system can therefore function by modulating signals on any of these lines to transmit the power information and voltage request, increasing flexibility in implementation across different USB standards and cable configurations.
5. The USB charger according to claim 3 , wherein the a gate of the first switch transistor is coupled with the first logic control circuit, a source of the first switch transistor is grounded, and a drain of the first logic control circuit is coupled with the signal wire.
In the USB charger with single-wire communication, a transistor acts as a switch to control communication on the single wire. The control circuit turns the transistor on or off. When turned on, it connects the signal wire to ground. The transistor's gate connects to the control circuit, its source is grounded, and its drain connects to the single communication wire (D+, D-, or ID). This switch allows the charger to selectively send signals to the phone.
6. The USB charger according to claim 3 , wherein the first comparator has a first input terminal coupled with the signal wire, an output terminal coupled with the first logic control circuit, and a second input terminal coupled with a voltage of 2V.
The USB charger using single-wire communication includes a comparator to detect signals on the single communication wire. One input of the comparator is connected to the signal wire (D+, D-, or ID). The other input is connected to a fixed voltage of 2V. The comparator's output goes to the control circuit. This allows the charger to detect voltage levels on the communication wire and determine the phone's voltage request.
7. The USB charger according to claim 3 , wherein the signal wire comprises a data signal wire D+ and a data signal wire D−, and the data signal wire D+ and the data signal wire D− are coupled together.
The USB charger with single-wire communication uses both the D+ and D- data lines to transmit the charger's power capabilities and receive the phone's voltage request. These two data lines are connected together, effectively creating a single communication channel. This configuration enables data transmission and reception through either of the data wires.
8. The USB charger according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal and the second signal are pulse signals.
In the USB charger with two-way communication, the charger's power capability signal and the phone's voltage request signal are both pulse signals. Information is encoded within these pulses, where pulse width or frequency could represent different voltage or power levels. This allows for a simple and robust communication method using digital signals on the shared communication wire.
9. The USB charger according to claim 1 , wherein the first logic control unit further comprises: a first logic control circuit, and a first switch transistor, wherein the first logic control circuit is configured to: send the first signal to the mobile terminal through the first switch transistor, and receive and parse the second signal from the mobile terminal.
The USB charger's smart charging system includes a logic control circuit and a transistor. The logic control circuit sends the charger's power capabilities to the phone by controlling the transistor, which acts as a switch on the single communication wire. The logic control circuit also receives and interprets the phone's voltage request from the same wire. This circuit parses the signals and adjusts the charger's output voltage.
10. A mobile terminal, comprising: a second logic control unit through which bidirectional communication is established between the mobile terminal and USB charger, wherein the second logic control unit is configured to: receive, from the USB charger, a first signal which comprises a maximum output capability of the USB charger; send, to the USB charger, a second signal which indicates magnitude of a voltage requested by the mobile terminal; and adjust a charging setting, when a voltage output from the USB charger is consistent with the voltage requested by the mobile terminal, and the second logic control unit comprises a second comparator.
A mobile phone uses "smart" charging when connected to a USB charger. It has a logic control unit for two-way communication with the charger. The phone receives the charger's maximum power output signal. It sends the charger a signal indicating the voltage it needs. When the charger's output voltage matches the phone's request, the phone adjusts its charging settings using a comparator in the logic control unit.
11. The mobile terminal according to claim 7 , wherein the voltage requested by the mobile terminal is determined based on the maximum output capability of the USB charger and a maximum load capability of the mobile terminal.
The mobile terminal from the previous description requests a voltage from the charger that is determined by the charger's maximum output capability and the phone's maximum load capability. The phone uses this information to select the optimal charging voltage from the charger, enabling efficient and safe charging.
12. The mobile terminal according to claim 7 , wherein the bidirectional communication is established through one signal wire of a USB interface of the mobile terminal.
The mobile phone, equipped for smart charging, uses a single wire within its USB interface to communicate with the charger. Instead of requiring multiple dedicated communication lines, it repurposes an existing wire in the USB connection to receive the charger's power capabilities and transmit its voltage request. This simplifies the phone's design.
13. The mobile terminal according to claim 12 , wherein the one signal wire comprises a data signal wire D+, a data signal wire D−, or an ID signal wire.
The smart-charging mobile terminal utilizes a specific wire within its USB interface for bidirectional communication with the charger. This single wire can be either the D+ data line, the D- data line, or the ID pin. This flexibility allows for the charging negotiation protocol to function regardless of the USB configuration or cable type used.
14. The mobile terminal according to claim 12 , wherein a gate of the second switch transistor is coupled with the second logic control circuit, a source of the second switch transistor is grounded, and a drain of the second logic control circuit is coupled with the signal wire and a pull-up resistor.
The smart-charging mobile terminal has a transistor acting as a switch on its single communication wire (D+, D-, or ID). The transistor is controlled by a logic control circuit. When activated, the transistor connects the signal wire to ground via a pull-up resistor. This arrangement allows the phone to selectively send its voltage request signal to the charger. The gate is coupled with the control circuit, the source is grounded, and the drain is coupled with the signal wire and a pull-up resistor.
15. The mobile terminal according to claim 12 , wherein the second comparator has a first input terminal coupled with the signal wire, an output terminal coupled with the second logic control circuit, and a second input terminal coupled with a voltage of 2V.
The smart-charging mobile terminal incorporates a comparator to detect signals received from the charger on the single communication wire. One input of the comparator is connected to the signal wire. The other input is connected to a reference voltage of 2V. The comparator's output is connected to the phone's logic control circuit. This allows the phone to decode signals from the charger, such as the charger's maximum output capability.
16. The mobile terminal according to claim 12 , wherein the signal wire comprises a data signal wire D+ and a data signal wire D−, and the data signal wire D+ and the data signal wire D− are coupled together.
The smart-charging mobile terminal uses both the D+ and D- data lines to communicate with the charger. These two data lines are connected together, effectively forming a single communication channel for transmitting and receiving control signals related to the charging process. This approach simplifies the circuitry and allows for communication over either data line.
17. The mobile terminal according to claim 10 , wherein the first signal and the second signal are pulse signals.
The smart-charging mobile terminal uses pulse signals for both the signal indicating the charger's maximum power output and the signal indicating the phone's requested voltage. This pulse-based communication simplifies the hardware requirements and allows for robust communication over a shared data line.
18. The mobile terminal according to claim 10 , wherein the second logic control unit further comprises: a second logic control circuit, and a second switch transistor, wherein the second logic control circuit is configured to: send the second signal to the USB charger through the second switch transistor, and receive the first signal from the USB charger thorough the second comparator.
The smart-charging mobile terminal has a logic control unit composed of a logic control circuit and a transistor. The control circuit sends the phone's voltage request to the charger by controlling the transistor, which acts as a switch on the single communication wire. The control circuit also receives the charger's power information from the comparator.
19. A method of charging a mobile terminal, comprising: sending a handshake request signal to a USB charger; receiving, from the USB charger, a first signal which comprises a maximum output capability of the USB charger; sending, to the USB charger, a second signal which indicates magnitude of a voltage requested by the mobile terminal; and adjusting a charging setting of the mobile terminal when a voltage output from the USB charger is consistent with the voltage requested by the mobile terminal.
A method for charging a mobile phone involves the phone first sending a request to the charger to initiate a smart charging handshake. The phone receives the charger's maximum power output. Then, the phone sends a signal to the charger specifying its requested voltage. Finally, the phone adjusts its charging settings to match the charger's output once the charger provides the requested voltage.
20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising detecting a type of the USB charger.
In addition to the basic smart charging method, the phone also analyzes the type of USB charger it is connected to. This allows the phone to adapt its charging strategy based on the capabilities of the specific charger, potentially selecting a faster or more efficient charging mode if the charger supports it.
21. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising: detecting a charging state of the mobile terminal; and adjusting a charging current when the charging state is detected abnormal.
In addition to the basic smart charging method, the phone continuously monitors its charging state. If the phone detects an abnormal charging condition (e.g., overheating, overcurrent), it dynamically adjusts the charging current to protect itself and the charger from damage. This ensures safe and reliable charging.
22. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the first signal, the second signal and the handshake request signal are pulse signals.
In the smart charging method, the initial handshake request, the charger's power capability signal, and the phone's voltage request signal are all pulse signals. This enables simple and robust communication using digital signals on a shared communication wire and facilitates easy detection and decoding of information.
23. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising: charging the mobile terminal with a regular voltage, when the first signal is not received from the USB charger.
If the mobile phone does not receive the charger's power capability signal during the smart charging handshake, the phone defaults to charging at a standard voltage. This ensures that the phone can still charge, albeit potentially at a slower rate, even if the charger does not support or is unable to communicate its power capabilities.
24. A method of charging a mobile terminal by a USB charger, comprising: receiving a handshake request signal from the mobile terminal; sending, to the mobile terminal, a first signal which comprises a maximum output capability of the USB charger; receiving, from the mobile terminal, a second signal which indicates magnitude of a voltage requested by the mobile terminal; and adjusting a voltage output from the USB charger to be consistent with the voltage requested by the mobile terminal.
A USB charger intelligently charges a phone by first receiving a request signal from the phone. Then, the charger transmits its maximum power output to the phone. After that, the charger receives a signal from the phone that indicates the voltage the phone wants. Finally, the charger adjusts its voltage output to be the same as the voltage the phone requested.
25. The method according to claim 24 , further comprising: charging the mobile terminal with a regular voltage, when the handshake request signal received is unable to be parsed by the USB charger.
If the USB charger receives a handshake request from the mobile phone that it cannot understand, the charger defaults to a standard voltage output. This ensures that the phone can still charge, albeit at a slower rate, even if the charger does not support the smart charging protocol implemented by the phone.
26. The method according to claim 24 , further comprising: charging the mobile terminal with a regular voltage, when the USB charger is disconnected with the mobile terminal.
If the USB charger is disconnected from the mobile phone during charging, the charger defaults to a regular voltage output. This ensures a safe and predictable state when no device is connected, preventing any unexpected voltage fluctuations or potential damage.
27. The method according to claim 24 , wherein the first signal, the second signal and the handshake request signal are pulse signals.
The handshake request, the signal indicating the charger's maximum power, and the signal indicating the phone's requested voltage, are all pulse signals. This approach simplifies the circuitry and facilitates communication by encoding information within the pulses for efficient and accurate charging.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 21, 2015
October 10, 2017
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.